Hands On With the Litl Webbook

PC World - Litl's webbook looks and feels almost like a traditional laptop, but is billed instead as an internet appliance; think Chumby with a keyboard, and you won't be too far off the mark. The device was released in November, but I got a chance to check it out here at CES.

The litl is lacking much of what makes notebooks useful: there's no optical drive, a single USB port, and only 2GB of flash memory that's reserved for the proprietary OS. At $700, the device becomes an incredibly hard sell. But litl has adopted a "less is more" stance, and for the right user, there's a lot to like.

The litl OS consists of "cards," which are essentially Web widgets arranged in a grid on the home screen. Without hard drive space, litl users must depend on cloud-based services (and a Wi-Fi connection) for content. Browsing works just like a normal PC -- it sports a re-skinned Mozilla browser -- but widgets serve to heighten the experience.

Cards can be assigned to whatever Web page you'd like to track -- if a particular site offers an RSS feed, the litl will subscribe, and stream updates. An app called the Mediawall will aggregate photo-feeds from popular web services like Snapfish and Flickr, and the HDMI port makes piping content onto a larger screen easy.

Powering the litl is a 1.8-GHz Atom Z540 processor, with 1GB of 533-Mhz DDR2 RAM. The bright, two-toned chassis is sturdy, belying its dainty appearance. Its 12.1-inch screen is driven by Intel integrated graphics, and offers a 1280 x 800 resolution. It also weighs just over 3 pounds, making it very portable.

Of particular interest is the impressive 178 degree viewing angle -- the big, bright widgets are visible at almost any angle you happen to hold the machine -- something finicky kids are likely to appreciate. Folding the screen backwards converts the notebook into a standing display, allowing users to control it by a remote control.

There's no software to buy, and the machine is maintenance free; users will likely waver on whether these are positive or negative options. The webbook will automatically apply software updates, patching vulnerabilities or adding features. There's also 2 year, unconditional warranty: you can return the product and get a full refund should buyer's remorse kick in.

The litl's flaws are glaringly obvious. While it's barely two months old, its components are already outclassed by new offerings from Intel and from Nvidia. Depending on Wi-Fi for content is tricky enough, but being limited to 802.11 b/g will frustrate some. And then there's the price: while you'll be missing out on the endearing litl ecosystem, $700 can get you a touchscreen and superior hardware.